Bricklaying reference device



g- 1965 D. c. BARLOW ETAL BRICKLAYING REFERENCE DEVICE Filed April 10 Aug. 24, 1965 D. c. BARLOW ETAL BRICKLAYING REFERENCE DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 10, 1965 INVENTORS Dal/id GBarZaw BY fiarizls' Wlfgykes fi i A TTOR/VEYS 4, 1965 D. c. BARLOW ETAL 3,201,870

BRI CKLAYING REFERENCE DEVICE Filed April 10, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 /6 W I I INVENTORS' DOVZ d dBarZow BY Carla's Whu fies A Tram/m5 United States Patent 3,291,870 BRICKLAYING REFERENQE DEYECE David C. Barlow, 222 Sedherry St, and Qurtts W. Hughes, PO. Box 3324, both of Fayetteville, N.C. Filed Apr. 10, 1963, Ser. No. 272,013 '6 Claims. (Cl. 33--85) This 'invention relates generally to bricklaying apparatus, and more particularly to an improved bricklaying guide apparatus for supporting a flexible horizontal reference line in spaced relationship to a supporting structure in front of which a masonry wall is to be constructed In the laying of brick, concrete block, stone and like masonry walls, it presently is common practice for a mason to first lay up a portion of the corners of the wall structure and then to attach a horizontal reference line between said corners. The reference line is then utilized in conjunction with a vertical plumb line at each corner as a guide in laying the courses of brick between the two corners. This method of construction is Well known, but

has certain inherent disadvantages.

The building of the two wall corners requires an accomplished mason, as the only guides available are the masons judgment and his skill in the use of a standard masons level. Once the corners have been erected and a horizontal reference line has been established by attaching it to the corner structures to extend therebetween, the bricks may be laid between the two corners by apprentice, or less accomplished, masons by using the guide line as a ready reference in placing the bricks. It is desirable to eliminate the need for first constructing the two corners of a wall, so that the services of a skilled mason are not required, and to provide a guide apparatus that provides a horizontal reference line for laying all the bricks of a wall.

The present invention incorporates novel guide devices which may be readily attached to the structure behind a proposed brick veneer wall. The devices are readily adjustable, and are equipped to support a horizontal reference line in the desired position relative to a vertical plumb line and to the structure, whereby a horizontal and a vertical reference line may be readily established before the first course of brick is laid. Because the reference lines are available at the start of construction, the wall may then be constructed by a mason possessing only moderate skill, and the need for laying up corners before proceeding with the remainder of a wall is eliminated.

It is an object of this invention to provide a guide apparatus for use in laying a complete course of a masonry wall at one time, without the need for first laying up one Of more COI'IICIS.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a bricklaying guide apparatus constructed to support a horizontal guide line in any desired position.

Another object of the subject invention is to provide a bricklaying guide device for supporting a flexible guide line, constructed to be adjustable and to'be mounted upon any of a number of supporting structures.

A further object of this invention is to provide a bricklaying guide line supporting device which is readily attachable to and removable from a structure.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a bricklaying guide line supporting device constructed to allow fine adjustments in the position of a horizontal guide line.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a bricklaying guide apparatus which is economical to construct, and which may be readily employed by one having only moderate ability as a mason.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same become better understood by reference to the following ice detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an outside corner guide line supporting device in its operative position;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged top plan view of the outside corner device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the device of FIG. 2, as reviewed from the right-hand side;

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of a terminal guide line supporting device mounted in position upon the wall of a structure, with a fragmentary portion of a brick Wall being shown in phantom lines;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary, horizontal, sectional view, taken on the line 5--5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical, sectional view, taken on the line 6--6 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of an inside corner guide line supporting device with a horizontal reference line mounted thereon;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary, rear elevational view, taken on the line 83 of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary, side elevational view, taken on the lines 99 of FIG. 7, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary top plan view of a modified embodiment of the structure for the supporting posts of FIG. 7;

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary, side elevational view, taken on the line 11-11 of FIG. 10, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary, vertical, sectional view, taken on the line i212 of FIG. 10; and

FIG. 13 is a diagrammatic plan view showing the guide line supporting device of the present invention in use.

The bricklaying guide apparatus of the present invention is intended to be attached to the structure behind a proposed brick, block, stone, or other masonry veneer wall. It includes a corner device for attachment to the corner of said structure, and one or more terminal devices for attaching to the wall of the structure at a distance from said corner. The corner device is made in two embodiments, one being especially adaptable for use on an outside corner and the other being equipped for installation on an inside corner.

The outside corner device incorporates a pair of mounting plates hinged together along their confronting edges. Supporting bars extend from the hinged plates, and support a post having a wheel-like disk at its tip, around which a flexible horizontal guide line is wrapped. The supporting bars are adjustable to permit adjustment of the horizontal guide line, so that it may be precisely positioned relative to a vertical plumb line also attached to the structure. The inside corner device is similar to the outside corner device, except for the manner in which it is attached to the structure.

The terminal device comprises a mounting plate which is attachable to the structure and which has a supporting post extending normally therefrom. The post is mounted on a bracket, which bracket is in turn mounted on the mounting plate to be vertically adjustable thereon. The ends of the horizontal guide line are each secured to one of the terminal devices.

Referring now to the drawings, an outside corner guide line supporting device is indicated at 2 in FIG. 1, said device being mounted upon an outside corner of the structure 4. The structure 4 can be the corner of a building to which masonry veneer is to be applied, or it can be the framework for a building, or a special framework erected solely to aid in the erection of the veneer. The device 2 is shown in plan view of FIG. 2, and incorporates a pair of mounting plates 6 and 8, said plates having cylindrical collars 1 and 12, respectively, on the confronting edges thereof (FIGS. 1 and 3). The collars and 12 are interleaved, and a pivot pin 14 is passed therethrough. Disposed above the collars 10 and 12 on the plates 6and ,8 are collars 16 and'18, respectively (FIG. 3),'said,collars being spaced apart for therec'eption'of one end of an L-shaped bar 20. The

lower collar 18 has a threaded bore. therein, and a,

slotted head screw' 22 is passed through the collar.16, through a bore in the end of the L-shaped bar 20, and is threaded into said collar 18. The two plates 6 and 8 may be adjusted to any desired angular relationship, and the L-shaped bar 20 may be adjusted to project at 1 any desired angle in the horizontal plane from said plates, after whichthe relative positions of these three elements may be fixed by tightening the screw 22. i

The plates 6 and 8 each have a horizontal slot 24 therein. Attached to the L-shaped bar 20 by a bolt 26 are a pair of generally L-shaped tongs 28 and 30. The I forward ends of the tongs 28 and 30 pass through the 7 slots 24 and have pointed, confronting hook tips 34 and 36 thereon, respectively, Disposed between the tongs and, about the bolt 26, is a wire spring 38, the opposite outer ends of the tongs 28 and 30 are first moved toward each other, after which the. plates 6 and 8 are pressed against said structure. The tongs are then released, and the spring 38 causes the tips 34 and 36 to bite into the structure to hold the device thereon. To further facilitate grasping of the structure, the surfaces of the base plates 6 and8 which engage it, may be provided with rubber sheets 88 and 90, respectively, or said surfaces may be knurled, or the like.

ends of which, extend outwardly to define arms 40 and ,42. The spring arm 40 is attachedto the tong 28 by a downwardly projecting tab 44 thereon, and the arm 42 is similarly attached to the tong '30 by an upwardly projecting tab 46; the spring arms 40 and" 42 are con structed and arranged'to urge the tips 34 and 36 toward each other. The outer ends of the tongs 28 and have finger tabs .48 and 50 thereon, respectively, to facilitatemanual manipulation thereof.

' guide device to the outside corner of the structure 4.

The L-s haped bar 20 has a'bar'52 pivotally attached to I its outer end, said bar 52 being attached medially thereof to said L-shaped bar by rivet 54; Attached to the end of the bar 52, most remote from-the plates 6 and 8, is one end of a post-supporting bar 56, said bars being pivotally connected by a rivet 58." As is best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the:.bar 56 has a downwardly extending'supporting post '60 attached thereto, saidpost having athreaded bore in its upper end. The end of the bar 56 has a bore therethrough and a screw 62 is passed through a washer 64, through saidbore, andfis threaded of the next course.

A vertical plumbline 92' is then established by attaching it to the structure 4 above the device 2, and the guide post '60 is'adjusted to lie just outside, of said plumb line. A horizontal guide line 94 is then wrapped around the disk 66, which disk preferably has a groove 96 in the rim thereof to hold said line; the opposite legs 98 and 100 of the guideline 94 extend at right angles to each other to terminal devices spaced from the corner device 2. -The adjustment screws 74' and 86 arethen'manipulated to bring the point 102 where the legs 98 and 100 cross into engagement with the vertical plumb line 92. As is evident from FIG. 2, the hat side 68 on the disk 66 facilitates this operation. The horizontal guide line is then properly positioned so that the fir'stcourses of brick 104 may be laid.

After the first brick course has been completed, the guide line at the .corner should beelevated to thelevel To accomplish this, the tongs are moved toward'each other to release-thehook tips 34 and 36, and the guide device is-then, moved vertically a distance sufiicient to properly position the guide line. The tongs are then released, and again function to receive thc The legs 98-and100 of the guide line 94 extend to terminal devices attached to the wall of the structure 4 at points distant from the device 2. The terminal device for supporting the leg 100 is shown at 106 in FIG. 4, and comprisesa mounting'plate 108having a Z-shaped'bend 110 along its 'rear'vertical edges The mounting plate has into the threaded bore in the topend of the post 60.,

' A substantially circular disk 66 is rigidly connected to the bottom of the post 60, and has a flat side 68 thereon for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

Attached to the bar- 56 near the point of attachment of the post 60 is a threaded collar 70, said .collar being pivotally attached to said bar. Positioned on and pivotally'attached to the L-shaped bar 20 to confront said threaded collar. 70 is a cylindrical coller 72. An adjustment screw 74 is threaded through the collar'70, and the unthreaded end 76 thereof passes through the collar 72; a-pair of washers 78are disposed on the screw end 76 on either side of the collar 72, and apair of pins 80 extends through the end,76 and functions to retain the screw 74 assembled to the collar 72. .The outer end of the screw 74 is winged to facilitate manual turning thereof, which turning will cause the bar 56' to pivot about the rivet 58 to thus move the supporting post toward and away from the plates 6 and 8. Thus, the screw 74 providesone directionof adjustment for the position: of i said post 60. 7

Attached to the underside of the end of the bar 52 that is disposed closest to the plates 6 and 8 is a threaded collar (not shown), identical to the collar 70,. .and at- -tached to the underside of the L-shaped bar 20 by the bolt.

26 is a collar 84 identical to the collar 72. 7 An adjustment screw 86, which is identical to the screw 74, is mounted within said two'collars, and functions to adjust the position of the post in a direction generally perpendicular to the direction of adjustment providedby the screw '74.'-

In use, the device 2 is first attached to an outside corner of the structure 4. 3 To facilitate such attachment, the

Slidably received'on the Z-shaped' portion of the plate 108 is a bracket (FIG, 5), said bracket 120 4 including a flat portion 122 having aU-shapedbent portion 124-integraltherewithf The bent portion 124 is engageable over the. Z-shaped bend 110, and a winged locking screw 126 is threadablein a bore inthe face of the bracket 120 and engages the plate 108 to selectively secure the bracket in any desired position. Projecting from the flat portion 122'iof the bracketis a cylindrical supporting base 128 having 'a cylindrical bore 130 in its outer end. The supporting base 128 has a threaded bore in its inner end, which bore receives a screw 132'that passes through a countersunk bore-in the, bracket 120 to secure the base inposition. I

A supporting post 134 istelescopically received within the bore 130, and terminates at its outer end in a rounded tip. having 7 a groove 136 extending t-herearound.

A winged locking screw 138 isreceived within a'threaded bore near the outer end of the supporting base 128, and functions to secure the supporting post 134 in any desired position.

The end of the leg 100 'of the horizontal guide line 194 is tied around the tip of the supporting post 134, and the height of the bracket 120 is adjusted'until the guide line is perfectly horizontal. The supporting post 134 in constructed to permit t-he'distancefrorn the guide line 100 to the structure 4 to be varied and, if desired,;a' scale (not shown) may be scribed onfthe supporting postv 134 to indicate such distance. conventional masons scale 140 is scribed, or otherwise imprinted, on the mounting plate 108, and a pointer 142 is attached to the bracket 120 in the correct position relative to said scale.

, When the position for the guide line leg 100 has been determined, a course of bricks 184 may be laid. The bracket 120 may then be vertically adjusted on its mounting plate to a height to permit laying of the next course of brick, and the corner device is similarly adjusted. When the top of the supporting mounting plate 188 has nearly been reached, the mounting plate is removed from the nails 116 and said nails are moved to positions on the structure 4 vertically above the previous points of installation.

The corner device 2 of FIG. 1 is intended primarily for use on an outside corner. In many instances, it is necessary to lay brick around an inside corner and a device especially constructed for this purpose is illustrated in FIGS. 7-9. Referring to FIG. 7, a pair of base plates 144 and 146 are shown interconnected along their confronting edges to project perpendicularly to each other. The plates have vertical slots 148 therein identical to the slots 112 and 114 in FIG. 4, and are secured to the structure 4 by common nails 150 in a manner identical to that in which the mounting plate 108 is secured to said structure.

The base plates 144 and 146 have vertically extending slots 152 and 154 therein spaced from the slots 148, and which extend nearly the entire vertical height of said plates. As is best shown in FIG. 8, the slots 152 are countersunk at 156, and the head of a bolt 158 is received within said countersunk portion; said bolt head is preferably rectangular and of a size to fit snugly but slidably within said counterbore, whereby to prevent undesirable turning thereof. The body of the bolts 158 project forwardly from the front surfaces of the plates 144 and 146, and function to mount the inside corner device 168 on the plates 144 and 146.

The device 160 includes a pair of mounting plates 162 and 164, hinged together in a manner identical to the plates 6 and 8 of FIG. 1. One end of support bar 166 is placed between a pair of cylindrical collars on said plates 162 and 164 in a manner identical to that in which the end of the L-shaped bar of FIG. 1 is mounted. A screw 168, identical to the screw 26, functions to secure the support 166 and the mounting plates 162 and 164 in the desired angular relationship.

The plates 162 and 164, respectively, have bores 170 and 172 therein positioned to confront the bolts 158, said bolts passing through said bores and having knurled nuts 174 threaded thereon for securing the device 160 in position.

The support bar 166 extends outwardly from the juncture of the plates 162 and 164, and the lateral edges 166 thereof are turned upwardly and inwardly to define a channel for reception of a support bar 178. The bars 166 and 178 have confronting longitudinal slots 188 and 182 therein, respectively, and a bolt 184 passes through said slots and cooperates with a wing nut 185 to secure the two bars in any desired telescopic position relative to each other. The outer end of the bar 178 has one leg of a U- shaped bar portion 186 attached thereto, and a supporting post 188 is attached to the outer end of the other leg of said bar portion 186 by a screw 190 and a washer 192 (FIG. 9). The post 188 has a bar 194 welded to its lower end and projecting normally therefrom, the front edge of said bar preferably being sharpened to define two planes 196and 198 disposed at right angles to each other. The horizontal guide line 94 extends over said forward edge of said bar 194, which edge may have A modified embodiment of the bar 178 is shown in FIGS. 10-12, wherein a bar 178 is shown terminating in a rounded end having a bore therethrough. Secured to the round end of said bar 178 is one leg of a U-shaped bar portion 200, said bar 208 being secured to said bar 178' by a bolt 282 and a knurled nut 284. The other leg of the U-shaped bar 288 has a slot 286 therein, and a threaded stud 208 projects upwardly through said slot from a supporting post 218.

A knurled nut 212 is received upon the stud 208, and functions to clamp the supporting post 210 to the U-shaped bar 200. The lower end of the post 210 has projecting therefrom a bar 214, identical in construction and purpose to the bar 184. It should be noted that the bars 194 and 214 both project nearly to the center of the open space defined between the two legs of the U-shaped member upon which they are mounted.

The supporting post 210 has welded to the top thereof a finger 216 having a diameter corresponding to the width of the slot 206, said finger projecting upwardly into said slot to prevent the post 210 from rotating about the stud 288. The structure of FIGS. 7-9 provides ready, universal adjustment for the position of the forward edge of the bar 214, and hence facilitates proper placement of the horizontal guide line 94 relative to the vertical plumb line 92.

The inside corner device 168 is easily moved vertically to position the guide line for succeeding courses of brick. Initially, the device is mounted on the bolts 158, with the latter disposed at the lower ends of their slots 152. The vertical position of the device 160 may then be altered over the length of said slots by merely manipulating the bolts 158. When the height of the slots 152 has been exhausted, the device 160 is removed from the plates 144 and 146, and the latter with their nails are moved to a higher position. The device is then remounted on the bolts 158, with the latter at the bottom of their slots.

Referring now to FIG. 13, the manner in which the three line supporting devices of the present invention are utilized in combination to construct a masonry wall having inside and outside corners therein is diagrammatically illustrated. The masonry wall is to be constructed in front of a structure 4, said structure having two outside corners 218 and an inside corner 220 thereon. A pair of outside corner devices 2 are first mounted on the outside corners 218, and an inside corner device 160 is mounted on the structure 4 at the corner 220. A pair of terminal devices 106 are then positioned on the wall of the structure 4 outwardly of the two corners 218.

The plumb lines 92 are then erected at each of the corners, and a horizontal guide line 94, which conveniently may be of cotton cord or other flexible material, is first secured to one of the terminal devices and is then placed on the three corner devices, after which the other end thereof is secured to the final terminal device. The three corner devices are then adjusted to properly position the horizontal guide line relative to the vertical plumb lines, said devices permitting substantially universal adjustment in the horizontal plane of their respective supporting posts. All of the devices are then vertically adjusted to render said guide line as nearly horizontal as is possible. The mason then proceeds to lay a course of brick 184 between the two terminal guides and around the corners 218 and 220. The horizontal guide line is thereafter elevated for each course of brick by manipulating the guide devices in the manner hereinabove described, and this process continues until the desired vertical height for the wall has been attained.

It is to be understood that in most instances at least two terminal devices will be employed. If there are corners, either inside or outside, in the wall to be erected, then corner devices will also be employed.

It is to be understood that the support bars 178 or 178' might be employed, if desired, with the outside corner device of FIG. 1, and similarly that the adjusting screw support bar arrangement of FIG. 1 might be employed with the inside corner device of FIG.--7; -However, the

preferred embodiments for the inside and outside corner devices are as illustrated in the drawingsr The adjusting screw arrangement of FIG.. 1 readily provides the necessary adjustment capability for an outside corner device, and because said device is employed on an outside corner,

said screws will be readily accessible. While the adjustment screws might be employed on the inside corner device of FIG. 7, ready access to said screws might prove difiicult in certain instances; 1 7

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the teachings; It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

We claim: a a V 1. A guide device for supporting a flexible guide line in spaced relationship relative to the corner of a structure,

present invention are possible in the light of the above connecting said first bar and said L-shaped bar for adjusting the lateral position of said supporting post .in one general direction; means'interconnecti'ng said second bar of said supporting post in a second general direction; and means for attaching said mounting plates to said structure.

and said L-shapedbar for adjusting the lateral'position 2. A guide device as recited in claim 1, wherein said mounting plates each have a horizontally extending slot therein, and wherein said last mentioned means comprises: a pair of tongs pivotally connected to said L-shaped bar, the tip of each of said tongs projecting through one of said slots; and resilient means connected to. said tongs for urging said tips toward each other;

3. Aguide device as recitedin claim 1,'including additionally: a circularldisc secured tothe end of said supporting post remote from said second bar, said disc having a 'groovevtherein for reception of said guide line. a 4. A guide deviceaslrecited infclaim 3; wherein additionally the side of said: disc facing said mounting plates is flattened. I 1 a r I 5. A guide device for supporting a flexible guide line in spaced relationship and at successively higher elevations relative to an outside corner of a structure, comprising: mounting plate means adapted to overlie surfaces of said structure on opposite sides of said corner thereof; post means for supporting said guide line; adjustable means interconnecting said mounting plate means and said post means for positioning said post means in difierent positions relative to said mounting plate means; and a pair of pivotally interconnected tong members connected to said adjustable means and cooperable with said mounting plate means for attaching said guide device at successively higher elevations to said outside corner of said structure, the tips of said tong members being movable toward each other and into engagement with the surfaces of saidstructure adjacent said mounting ,platemeans for attaching said guide device to said structureat a'desired elevation'thereon, and" the tips of said tong members being movable away from each other and out of engagement with "the surfaces of said structure adjacent saidmounting plate means for permitting movement of said guide device to a a higher elevation on saidjstructure when desired.

6. A guide device as recited in claim 5, and further including resilient means" engaging said tong members and biasing said tips thereoftoward each other. 7

References Cited by, the Errarniner ISAAC LISANN, Primary Exa mir'ze ff 

1. A GUIDE DEVICE FOR SUPPORTING A FLEXIBLE GUIDE LINE IN SPACED RELATIONSHIP RELATIVE TO THE CORNER OF A STRUCTURE, COMPRISING: A PAIR OF MOUNTING PLATES HINGEDLY CONNECTED ALONG THE CONFRONTING VERTICAL EDGES THEREOF; A SUBSTANTIALY HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED L-SHAPED BAR HAVING ONE END THEREOF CONNECTED TO SAID MOUNTING PLATES AT THE JUNCTURE THEREOF; MEANS FOR SECURING SAID L-SHAPED BAR IN A PREDETERMINED RELATIONSHIP RELATIVE TO SAID MOUNTING PLATES; A FIRST BAR PIVOTALLY CONNECTED MEDIALLY THEREOF TO TH EOTHER END OF SAID L-SHAPED BAR; A SECOND BAR HAVING ONE END THEREOF PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO THE END OF SAID FIRST BAR POSITIONED MOST REMOTELY FROM SAID MOUNTING PLATES; A SUPPORTING POST MOUNTED TO THE OTHER END OF SAID SECOND BAR TO EXTEND GENERALLY NORMALLY THEREFROM; MEANS INTERCONNECCTING SAID FIRST BAR AND SAIDL-SHAPED BAR FOR ADJUSTING THE LATERAL POSITIONN OF SAID SUPPORTING POST IN ONE GENERAL DIRECTION; MEANS INTERCONNECTING SAID SECOND BAR AND SAID L-SHAPED BAR FOR ADJUSTING THE LATERAL POSITION OF SAID SUPPORTING POST IN A SECOND GENERAL DIRECTION; AND MEANS FOR ATTACHING SAID MOUNTING PLATES TO SAID STRUCTURE. 